Photo Release

Double whammy: Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan laments the double whammy effect of unabated smuggling of vegetables from China and the persisting COVID-19 pandemic to the livelihood of local farmers and fishermen Tuesday, December 14, 2021 during the Committee of the Whole (COW) hybrid inquiry into the rampant smuggling of agricultural products into the country and the efficacy of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to stop it. According to Pangilinan, the unabated smuggling of agricultural products has been a major blow to the earnings of farmers and fishermen, who are already trying to make ends meet as a result of the pandemic. Citing complaints forwarded to his office, Pangilinan bared that vegetables from China, particularly carrots, have flooded warehouses in Divisoria, Manila and in Carbon Market, Cebu, resulting in the price plunge from P70 per kilo to the current price of P25 per kilo. He is convinced that corrupt government officials and syndicates are in cahoots in the multi-billion agricultural smuggling in the country. (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)